Such purses were used to contain money or chips when gambling; they usually had a stiff, round bottom to keep the purse upright.
The decoration of this particular purse is diverse. There are twenty vertical (card) ribs that are covered with silver thread, metal sequins and coloured metal foil. Along the upper edge of the purse are the remains of passementerie using a silver thread. The bottom of the bag is decorated with gold brocade illustrating two coats of arms, linked together to indicate a (matrimonial?) alliance, with silver passementerie and silk thread embroidery.
See also an example in the Tassenmuseum, Amsterdam.
Rijksmuseum Amsterdam online catalogue (retrieved 9 August 2016).
WV